The Seattle Times: Politics Northwesthttp://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/index.html
en-usCopyright 2015 The Seattle Times CompanyWed, 25 Feb 2015 13:44:04 PSTWed, 25 Feb 2015 13:44:04 PSTMattBase1The Seattle Times: Politics Northwesthttp://seattletimes.nwsource.com/art/ui/stlogo_231.gifhttp://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Inslee addresses poison pills, oil trains, e-cigarettes and Bertha's progresshttp://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2015/02/19/inslee-addresses-poison-pills-oil-trains-e-cigarettes-and-berthas-progress/?syndication=rss
<p>Gov. Jay Inslee <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2025737685_supplementalbudgetxml.html">signed the supplement budget Thursday</a>, before taking questions from media. Here are some things he said:</p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> Bertha <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2015/02/highway-99-tunnel-boring-machine-has-now-mined-14-feet-wsdot-says/">crawls again</a>. "We're looking forward to continued movement," Inslee said. "People have to understand, there's going to have to be a lot of work on this machine to keep it operable ... there's a long ways to go."</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> Transportation package. Inslee said he hopes lawmakers will disregard the "poison pill" in the <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025687482_senatetranspoxml.html">Senate's transportation package that would keep him from isssuing low-carbon fuel standards</a>. "I am urging legislators to focus on what we really need, which is bridges that are safe, buses that work and lanes that are available," said Inslee. "And if they focus on those things rather than strings attached to it, I think it would increase the odds of getting a transportation package."</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> Revenue forecast. The governor had nothing to say about Friday <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2015/01/26/joels-law-revenue-forecasts-rules-and-transportation-things-democrats-said-today/">revenue forecast</a>, which was added in the above-mentioned supplemental-budget bill so lawmakers have more information with which to write their budgets. "I don't really have any new information ... we'll have more tomorrow."</p>
<p><strong>4.</strong> E-cigarettes. It's the last week for most new bills to get voted out of committee, but the governor's e-cigarette tax and regulation proposals haven't gotten hearings in either the <a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1645&year=2015">House</a> or <a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5573&year=2015">Senate</a>. But Inslee says he isn't concerned. "This is a budgetary item," he said. "So all of these items will be fully in play right through the last day when we get a budget."</p>
<p><strong>5.</strong> Oil trains. Another oil train ignited this week, <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2025719611_apxtrainderailment.html">setting fires that evacuated a West Virginia town</a>, and reminding Washingtonians yet again <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2015/02/what-you-should-know-about-oil-trains-in-washington/">that it could happen here</a>. Inslee said he can't talk specifically about proposed oil terminals <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025090808_vancouveroilterminalxml.html">in the state</a>, because the governor is part of the permitting-approval process. But, "I think there's good reason to believe we could get a bill this year. ... It's really important that we move an oil-safety bill, even if we don't have any additional ports."</p>
Politics Northwesthttp://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2015/02/19/inslee-addresses-poison-pills-oil-trains-e-cigarettes-and-berthas-progress/?syndication=rssThu, 19 Feb 2015 20:01:04 PSTHouse Democrats say they will wait on transportation packagehttp://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2015/02/19/house-democrats-say-they-will-wait-on-transportation-package/?syndication=rss
<p>House Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said Thursday that even if the state Senate quickly approves a <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025687482_senatetranspoxml.html">proposed transportation package fueled by an increase</a> in the gas tax, the measure won't be heard in the House until lawmakers address education funding.</p>
<p>Sullivan said a plan to fund the requirements of the Washington Supreme Court ruling known as the McCleary decision, which <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024518538_mcclearyorderxml.html">requires a substantial increase in funding for K-12 education</a>, should be in place before taking on the transportation package.</p>
<p>"I think we need to focus on McCleary given the fact that we're under a court contempt order," Sullivan said at a media availability for Democrats. "I'm not getting the same sense of seriousness from the Senate Republican side."</p>
<p>Sullivan said after McCleary is addressed, he's happy to pass a transportation package.</p>
<p>"I need to invest, at a minimum, $1.3 billion in education this session and yet all I hear is silence (from Republicans) on solutions to address that," Sullivan said. "I don't see how I can go back to my constituents and say we raised your gas tax ... but when it comes to our school kids, we failed them."</p>
<p>Other topics addressed at the media session:</p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> Senate Democratic Leader Sharon Nelson, D-Maury Island, said she was disappointed that bills to <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5285&year=2015" target="_blank">raise the minimum wage</a>, <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5806&year=2015" target="_blank">enhance access to contraception under Medicaid</a>, and <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5306&year=2015" target="_blank">set a paid sick and safe leave standard</a> have not been given hearings in the Senate. Friday is the last day for policy bills to be heard in non-fiscal committees.</p>
<p>"We have a variety of bills that have just been sitting there," she said. "What we hear is they're waiting on the House to bring them over. We'll see then if they go ahead and get a hearing."</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> <a href="http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1930.pdf">House Bill 1930</a>, which would <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025729220_hockeydisputexml.html" target="_blank">exempt the Western Hockey League</a> from state labor laws, was passed unanimously Thursday by the House Committee on Labor. Washington's four teams are currently under investigation by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries over a complaint regarding issues of child labor.</p>
<p>"Those are students who decide they want to participate in the Western Hockey League, they choose that pathway for themselves," Sullivan said, later adding: "I think the system actually works pretty well."</p>
Politics Northwesthttp://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2015/02/19/house-democrats-say-they-will-wait-on-transportation-package/?syndication=rssThu, 19 Feb 2015 19:16:04 PST